Winter months tend to keep us warm and cozy, so it is of ultimate importance to take good care of yourself – body, mind, and spirit! Are you wondering how to get started and what to do to stay healthy and happy?!

So here are some simple tips to help you take care of your whole being:

1. Stay nourished.

The holiday season can be a time of indulgences, like baked goods, breads, cheese, and alcohol. So in preparation for the big festivities, consider reducing stimulants, such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol, simple starches, and other heavy chemically-laden foods. Take a short reprieve by enjoying quality nutrient-dense foods and supplements. A good addition to the holiday regiment is magnesium-packed foods, such as lots of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, to help maintain a healthy response to stress. If you have a need for an extra calming effect, especially if travelling, consider a magnesium supplement, such as Natural Calm at your local health food store. Using spices, such as garlic, ginger, and peppers, in cooking are a great way to boost the immune system and protect the body against colds in a shorter time span. It is also important to listen to your body and observe how you feel. Make sure to include enough omega-3s in your diet, such as fish, nuts, and seeds, which will help you reduce the amount of inflammation in the body and fight the winter “blues.”

2. Stay hydrated.

This may be a bit redundant, but hydration is essential regardless of the season. It helps control appetite, reduces overindulgences, helps control the metabolism, moisturizes the air in the lungs as well as all cells of the body, and detoxifies, especially with a heavier alcohol intake.

3. Soothe with warm liquids.

Warm tea can be great for a sore throat and cough, breaking a fever, calming nausea and upset stomach, and improving digestion. My go-to choices include mint, ginger, chamomile, green tea, etc. They are delicious with raw honey, lemon, and cinnamon sticks. Other great beverages are warm cider and hot cocoa with almond milk. In addition, this is the ultimate time for delicious soups, which can be prepare with a multitude of choices with lots of vegetables, legumes, grains, and lean proteins.

4. Take the time to breathe.

I find myself reminding my patients of that continuously. Stress often makes us forget to breathe as well as forget how to breathe properly. Consider this breathingexercise: Sit still and tall somewhere comfortable with a neutral spine. Close the eyes and begin breathing through the nose. Inhale for a count of 2; hold the breath in for a count of 1. Exhale gently, counting out for 4; finish by holding the breath out for a count of 1.

5. Move your body.

Exercise is a great way to reduce stress during hectic times, while staying healthy, maintaining weight, increasing energy levels, and improving the mood. During the winter months, you may have options for some fun outdoor activities and sports, such as hiking, ice skating, snowboarding, hockey, and sledding.

6. Go outside.

As the days get shorter and darker and colder, it is important to spend some time outside in the sunshine to increase the vitamin D production. So get outside for 15 minutes a day 3-5 times per week to improve health and mood. Consider changing the light bulbs and in your house to “full spectrum” bulbsand lighting systems (this is great product by Nikken) to mimic natural light. The dietary supplementation of 2,000-4,000 IUs is available in foods, such as shiitake and button mushrooms, fish, cod liver oil, eggs, and cruciferous vegetables.

Explore natural health options to maximize the immune system function that will lead to less stress and better health during the colder months!

With a busy holiday schedule, sleep is often sacrificed. Time management and discipline are essential in maintaining a consistent sleeping schedule. Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep to normalize the sleeping pattern and get more energy. “Full spectrum” lighting systems, similar to the one by Nikken, is another great way to help maintain natural circadian rhythms, the cycle of sleeping and waking.

8. Take a hot bath.

Soaking a hot bath once a week with Epsom salt, essential oils (try lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile), and even baking soda is a great way to relax, calm the mind and body, as well as detoxify from toxins. If you take a bath before bed, it can improve sleep and help you feel energized the next day.

Keeping the nervous system at optimal function by allowing the body to communicate to the brain appropriately is a vital aspect of spinal and overall health through a natural, effective, drug-free approach to health that promotes natural healing function and potential.. Chiropractic allows the body to release the accumulated physical, mental, and chemical stress and further allows the appropriate alignment and movement in the spine and its structures. Chiropractors work with people of all ages, including newborn babies, pregnant women and children. Talk to your local chiropractor today and start on the path to health to maximize your nervous and immune system function that leads to overall more energy and increased vitality!

10. Be generous.

Giving to others should be a part of our everyday life, yet this tends to be the time that it is the most often remembered. Take the time out to help and nourish others by offering your generosity, not necessarily in terms of material things, but offer your time and volunteer for those who need the help in any shape or form. By nourishing and loving yourself, be grateful for your circumstance and offer your love to others. In addition, accept the help from others because they want to be of service to you as well. This is a season of giving and receiving, so practice both!

If you do not already have a local chiropractor, call Dr. Tijana at 706.254.4579 to schedule your first appointment for YOU & YOUR FAMILY for a comprehensive health assessment TODAY!

Beautiful skin start internally by keeping the body healthy and strong from inside out. Our bodies can be taxed by poor eating and lifestyle habits, and environmental pollutants. If the body is well nourished with all of the appropriate nutrients, the skin will be radiant and healthy. However, if the body lacks these vital nutrients, the skin will reflect that with signs of stress and aging. In addition, some of the beauty products may contain harmful chemicals and threaten long-term health and beauty.

Here are some suggestions for remedies on how to accomplish beautiful, healthy, and balanced skin from inside out:

Nutrition: Eating a diet rich in fatty acids, minerals, and green leafy vegetables is important to maintain the right balance of nutrients with plentiful fiber and water. Eliminating sugar, gluten, dairy, and processed food products help decrease inflammation and acidity in the body. This combination of dietary choices helps maintain a healthy digestive system and support proper elimination, which allows for an active metabolism, increased energy levels, and beautiful skin. Consider green juices that purify kidneys, clean the blood, increase the alkalinity in the body, get rid of acidic waste, and hydrate the body on a cellular level, which all lead to radiant skin and health. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption as they significantly dehydrate the body.

Hydration: Keeping the body well hydrated inside and out is important to keep the cells moisturized. Drinking enough water is essential. In addition, keeping the living environment humidified decreases the tendency for dry skin and scalp, even nasal passages.

Skincare products: Choose products that do not contain chemical preservatives, synthetic fragrances, and harsh abrasives. Maintaining a delicate moisture balance is important not to dehydrate skin’s barriers, so avoid any product that contains alcohol, glycerin, benzoyl peroxide, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and BPA. Consider using products that contain naturally-occurring fruit acids or enzyme, which allow for a better absorption of topical antioxidants and humectants.

Exercise: Moderate physical exercise each day increases blood flow to the skin, the brain, and the organs of the body, which results in a beautiful flushed complexion and glow, as sweating eliminates toxins. It also helps improve sleep, which encourages regeneration of body’s tissues.

Shower routine: Before bath time, consider dry brushing to remove dead skin cells and increase circulation and stimulate the removal of toxic through the lymphatic system. Also, use lukewarm water and not spending prolonged time in the shower or bath. Alkalizing water filters for the whole house, especially for the shower, are a great way to change the skin’s pH and decreasing dryness.

Mediation: Creating a daily practice to decrease stress in your life is a great way to rejuvenate the mind and body. Meditation, breathing exercise, and yoga all promote diaphragmatic breathing, increased blood flow, and mental and physical rejuvenation to the whole body system.

So before using a new skincare product, consider nourishing your body from inside out in order to allow you body and spirit to shine through without the additional layers. Spend some time on yourself by feeding your body, mind, and spirit each day, and your skin and body will reflect the self-care you offer to yourself.

Stress is ever-present in our daily lives. How many times have you heard those around you, including yourself, say that they’re stressed out?! But what does that exactly mean?

Many times we equate stress with emotional or psychological stress, such as being worried about a job, career, money, health, family, marriage, children, friends, social situations, you name it. The reality is that our bodies do get stressed out for different reasons from the inside out. So let’s first figure out what types of stressors we encounter on the every day:

Cortisol, the “stress hormone”: a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which is usually released during times of stress (physical, chemical, and emotional) to maintain homeostasis in the body. With consistent amount of stress bombarding the body, the cortisol is continually released and has serious, negative effects on health, such as stress on the cardiovascular system, decreased immunity, higher risk for type II diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure, and the loss of reproductive health.

Stress can be manageable. Finding some activities to decrease the amount of stress in life can help decrease the damage to the body, mind, and spirit, as well as add years to life and improving vitality. Figuring out a way to make everyday situations less stressful and more manageable is a good way to deal with stress.

Here is a quick and simple method of putting your body into a more relaxed and calm state of mind and body, which can be be practiced into a discipline over time for an improved mood and overall sense of calm:

Sit still and tall somewhere comfortable with a neutral spine

Close the eyes and begin breathing through the nose

Inhale for a count of 2…

Hold the breath in for a count of 2…

Exhale gently, counting out for 4…

Finish by holding the breath out for a count of 2

Keep your breathing even and smooth.

Repeat the cycle 10-15 times.

Return to normal breathing.

Other stress-lowering suggestions may be less intentional and obvious; yet at the same time, these tips will have significant benefits to health improvement and stress-lowering capabilities:

Grounding exercise– easy and free by connecting to the Earth

Stand or sit with bare skin exposed to grass, sand, dirt, or even concrete for 20-plus minutes each day

Practicing any of these stress-relieving techniques each day for even 5 minutes will allow you to raise your awareness and eventually reach the point where this process will become subconscious! You will be able put yourself into a more relaxed and calm state of mind and body, no matter where the stress is coming from!

With chiropractic, keeping the nervous system is the optimal mission and is facilitated though proper spinal health. Chiropractic allows the body to release the accumulated physical, mental, and chemical stress and further allows the appropriate alignment and movement in the spine and its structures. Talk to your local chiropractor today and start on the path to health!

The daily lives can keep everyone hustling and bustling on autopilot consistently. Each day is filled with a packed schedule, work, school, and social activities, for people of all ages. Taking the time to enjoy the beauty and miracles in the simple things can easily be overlooked. The idea of finding some quiet each day may seem more like a chore, but it is necessary to maintain a sense of balance.

We may not always have a full hour for meditation, but a few simple steps to infuse our day with a little quiet and calm may be easily manageable. So here are some suggestions:

Turn off the phone. Allowing ourselves at least 20 minutes, where we give ourselves a break from the constant ability to be in touch will help one refresh. Listen to the breath, allow the thoughts to wander off, be mindful of the reaction to the quiet, and just allow it to happen. It can done on the drive home, on a walk with the dog, when we first wake up in the morning before the day fully begins.

Declare an intention. Creating an intention will infuse the whole day with a sense of purpose and it may shift the perspective for the whole day. Being open to the possibility is important and will arise naturally when we allow it. Setting our mind with a positive affirmation first thing in the morning will make the rest of the day a little bit lighter. We can start with something easy, such as “Just enjoy,” “Breathe fully,” “Smile more.”

Meditate. Creating a time-space in the day to just be present is important. Meditation does not always have to occur for an hour, on a yoga mat, with lighted candles, eye closed, and soft music. Creating a certain expectation about what meditation should be sometimes keeps us from just allowing for the time to just sit, enjoy the quiet, and be. The results may be surprising.

These practices take time, patience, and compassion. Cultivate this time for yourself, allow yourself to enjoy your own company and the gift of the present moment. Remember to be gentle!

How many of us think about breathing with each inhale and exhale?! Interestingly, breathing is one of the few bodily functions which can be controlled both consciously and unconsciously.

The unconscious action of breathing is controlled in the brainstem, which automatically regulates the rate and depth of breathing depending on the body’s needs at any time. The conscious control of breathing is commonly practiced in meditation, yoga in form of pranayama, athletic disciplines in swimming and cardio exercise, as well as in speech and vocal training. In particular, diaphragmatic breathing is also used to play musical wind instruments; just as laughter, hiccups, yawns, and sneezes are breath phenomena.

As you can see from the wide variety of breathing techniques, it is safe to say that all breaths are not created equal. We will be discussing a breathing technique to introduce calmness to the nervous system and a busy mind. This can be achieved with a simple exercise of a timed breath allowing the exhale to become longer than the inhale.

The parasympathetics are vital in controlling the response to rest, relax, and digest. When the parasympathetic system is dominant, the breathing slows, the heart rate drops, the blood pressure lowers as the blood vessels relax, and the body is put into a state of calm and healing.

So here is how to put your body into a more relaxed and calm state of mind and body:

Sit still and tall somewhere comfortable with a neutral spine

Close the eyes and begin breathing through the nose

Inhale for a count of 2…

Hold the breath in for a count of 1…

Exhale gently, counting out for 4…

Finish by holding the breath out for a count of 1

Keep your breathing even and smooth.

The most important thing is that the exhale is longer than the inhale, not the absolute length of the breath. If the 2-4 count feels too short, try increasing the breath lengths to 4 in and 6 out, or 6 in and 8 out, and so on.

Practicing breathing like this each day for 5 minutes will help you discipline yourself in order for it to eventually reach the point where this breathing technique becomes unconscious! You will be able to see a difference in your mood and overall sense of calm!